Transcript What were the causes and consequences of the German

Was the German Revolution of 1918
really a ‘revolution’?
L/O – To identify and explain the causes and effects
of the Revolution
The German Revolution
• In late 1918, there was unrest
across the whole of Germany.
The emperor fled for his life
and a new government took
control. These events are
called the German Revolution.
• This new government became
known as the Weimar
Republic. It was eventually
usurped by Hitler when he was
elected Chancellor in 1933.
What caused the German Revolution?
• 1. Failure in the First World War
Germany’s army was not totally
defeated but by 1918, had been
pushed back. The Spring Offensive
had failed.
• Over 2 million had died since 1914
and morale was very low.
• The army was unlikely to have held
out another year. The Kaiser and
his government were criticised.
What caused the German Revolution?
• 2. Hardship in Germany - The
Allied blockade was working and
prevented imports of supplies.
• Food shortages led to great
suffering and military failure
caused a sense of hopelessness.
• This was made worse by a deadly
influenza infection which spread
through Europe in August 1918,
killing millions.
What caused the German Revolution?
• 3. The Russian Revolution –
Helped to cause discontent in
Germany.
• The Russians had replaced their
Tsar with a government of the
people led by the Communist
Vladimir Lenin after October
1917.
• Many Germans wanted to
replace the undemocratic rule of
the Kaiser by councils of workers
& soldiers
Events of the Revolution
• 29th October 1918 – German
sailors at Wilhelmshaven refuse
to follow order and mutiny
spreads to Kiel.
• 4th November 1918 – 40,000
sailors join dock workers and set
up a workers’ and soldiers’
council, taking over the
dockyard.
• Government soon broke down all
over Germany in towns such as
Hamburg, Bremen and Lubeck.
Events of the Revolution
• 7th November – German workers in
Bavaria force the local King, Ludwig
III, to step down. Other regional
monarchs begin to abdicate.
• 9th November – Kaiser Wilhelm II
abdicates following pressure from his
own ministers and Allies who say
they will only negotiate with
‘representatives of the people’. The
Chancellor Prince Max von Baden
also resigns and Social Democratic
Party (SPD) member Friedrich Ebert
becomes the new Chancellor.
Events of the Revolution
• Two hours after the declaration of a
new government, Karl Liebknecht –
a far more radical socialist and
leader of the ‘Spartacus League’ –
announced the birth of the ‘Free
Republic of Germany’.
• The Sparticists were led by Karl
Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.
They had broken away from the SPD
party in 1915 and wanted to create
a Communist state in Germany.
Events of the Revolution
• On Christmas Eve 1918, the
Sparticists attempted a
communist revolution. In
Berlin they began to
occupy government
buildings.
• On 30th December, they
held a Congress in Berlin
and declared the
formation of the
Communist Party of
Germany (KPD).
‘The 9th of November was a weak, half-hearted, halfconscious and chaotic attempt to overthrow the existing
public power and to put an end to class rule. What now
must be done is that all the forces of the proletariat
should be concentrated in an attack on the very
foundations of capitalist society. There, at the base,
where the individual employer confronts his wage
slaves… there, step by step, we must seize the means of
power from the rulers and take them into our own
hands… And we must not forget that the revolution is
able to do its work with extraordinary speed.’
Rosa Luxembourg, 30th December 1918
Events of the Revolution
• On 5th January they began an armed
takeover of Berlin. Hundreds of
workers were given weapons and
Berlin became paralysed by street
fighting.
• Meanwhile, Chancellor Ebert organised
over 3,000 former soldiers called
Friekorps to come to Berlin. The
Friekorps were fiercely nationalist and
anti-communist and on the 10th
January, began to attack the Sparticists.
Events of the Revolution
• After 3 days of fierce street to street
fighting, Liebknecht and Luxemburg had
been captured. Luxemburg was beaten to
death with rifle butts and her body thrown
into a canal. Liebknecht was shot in the
head.
• About 100 Sparticists and 17 Friekorps were
killed in the fighting. Ebert had regained
control of Berlin but had to rely on the
extremely right-wing nationalist volunteers
– the Friekorps. This undermined the
credibility of the new government.
Events of the Revolution
• In April 1919, Communists in the southern
state of Bavaria attempt another
revolution, taking over the capital, Munich
and declaring an ‘Independent Soviet
Republic’.
• In May, the Soviet was attacked by 9,000
German Army soldiers and over 30,000
members of the Freikorps.
• Over 1,700 Communists were killed in
Munich. By the Summer of 1919 the threat
from the Communists were over. Ebert’s
new SPD government had survived.
Effects of the Revolution
1. Short Term - New government agrees an
armistice on 11th November. Germany had
to withdraw from all land won and pull back
30 miles into Germany.
2. Medium-Term – Politics in Germany became
very unstable as extreme left-wing
(Communists/Sparticists) and right-wing
groups (Friekorps) fought for power.
3. Long Term – The Weimar Republic formed
after the Kaiser abdicated but Ebert’s new
government doesn’t form new constitution
until mid-1919 due to political turmoil.
Exam Question (Section A, Part B)
• ‘Describe one effect of the November Revolution
on Germany’ (4 marks)
A basic answer
(level 1, 1-2 marks)
Will give a consequence, or effect, but
no supporting detail. Will tell the story
without focusing on the effect.
A good answer
(level 2, 3-4 marks)
Will make a statement giving a
consequence and then develop this
statement by giving extra detail or
explanation.
The Weimar Republic was created
Or
An armistice was agreed with the Allies
One effect of the November Revolution of
1918 on Germany was the Weimar Republic
was created. This was because the Kaiser
abdicated on the 9th November after his
government faced large scale disobedience
and the Allies refused to discusses surrender
terms with the Kaiser. As a result, a new
system of government representative of the
people was needed which led to the creation
of the Weimar Republic in August 1919.